As I scrolled through a random Google Images search, I saw two versions of one painting that looked almost identical. Though it wasn’t obvious, a closer glance showed one had several inconsistencies and many small errors, like strokes clipping through a human hand and slightly distorted eyes. I clicked on the photo which took me to an article about learning to recognize the slim differences between AI (artificial intelligence) art and human art.
AI art has become more prevalent over the past few years. Anyone can now realistically imitate brushstrokes, musical patterns and photography using AI with free websites and built-in software like the Midjourney AI on Discord. With the growing prevalence of AI art, it is likely to become more affordable and efficient than authentic human art and media. The increased use of AI creates concern about the possibility of an AI takeover of human art and the media.
In the coming years , AI art will be even more difficult to differentiate from its man-made counterparts. AI creates a threat to human painters, musicians and photographers. It costs more to hire human artists than to make AI art given the time and labor differences of the two forms, according to Inbound Blogging. Marvel Studios used AI to make the introduction sequence to their show “Secret Invasion” instead of employing visual effects specialists, according to Screen Rant. If AI art continues to be used to replace human artists, many will no longer find jobs.
Another concerning result of the rise of AI art is the increasing prevalence of deep fakes. While some may not consider deepfakes to be art, the manipulation of an image or video could alter the way a human views a historical event or feels about a person or thing, therefore becoming an art form. AI generated images of Taylor Swift endorsing former President Trump that were spread around on Truth Social and were taken as fact. Lewd images using the faces of high school girls at Beverly Vista Middle School in Los Angeles were also AI generated, according to CBS news, which violates people’s privacy and might even be considered illegal child pornagraphy. As the practice of manipulating images grows, it is essential that everyone is educated on the potential abuses of AI on images and media.
The ripple effect of misinformation and scare tactics can affect anyone, so as many people as possible should be taught to protect themselves from the tricks of AI art. Sure, social media networks like X put warnings and labels on AI-generated images, but that will not be enough. AI will get much more advanced in the future, and images may sneak past being flagged with misinformation warnings on social media. Artists are and will continue to be passed up by networks like Marvel in favor of AI counterparts and people could be tricked into believing that political figures are extremist traitors. Not everyone will be tempted to click on these fakes, but false information spreads quickly, even if it is debunked immediately. Narrow-mindedness and mob mentality have become more commonplace in the age of the internet, and AI will make these behaviors even more prevalent. AI will be used to divide people, and finding the truth while being surrounded by misinformation will become harder. Widespread AI education must be required in companies and in schools, teaching people how to recognize AI imagery.
The threat of AI art is a national issue and the school can do its part in protecting people by teaching students how to identify AI art in visual and performing arts classes. The school already has a mandatory arts requirement, so all students will already be taking a visual arts class of some sort . At least one unit that helps people learn the inconsistencies and flaws of AI art, music and photos should be implemented in all art classes. People could learn how to spot AI art through certain line glitches that occur, or through AI art’s “shine” quality that makes it look too perfect or manufactured.
While AI art poses a potential threat to the art industry, there are positive ways the form could be implemented in the classroom. Even though the rise of AI art brings many consequences to human artists and users of social media, we cannot get rid of it anymore. Like many modern inventions such as the iPhone, widespread—and sometimes unfavorable—technological change is inevitable, so we must do our best to mitigate technological destruction of human work and creativity. The potentially catastrophic effects of AI are real and concerning, but they may also lead to people turning their back on or fighting against AI because they know so little about it. AI is still a new development, and as it advances, it may show more positive aspects of its use alongside negative effects. We need to follow AI as it develops, get used to it, and learn to live alongside it.
AI-generated imagery may be the next generation of CGI. It could be used possibly as a backdrop that would take painstaking amounts of time to hand-draw or digitally create. Outside of the realm of art, AI can also help humans in scientific fields. AI’s capacity to process more information can help with algorithms that the human brain cannot handle, according to Stanford Report. Art classes could help highlight the positive aspects of AI alongside teaching students how to recognize it.
With all the worries and doomsday discourse in the news over AI art, it is easy to recognize that we need to defend ourselves from harmful misuse. It is also easy to forget that even though AI art could bring many negative impacts, it can also be used in conjunction with human creativity to create amazing art that is still primarily human-made. Advancements in technology have brought positives and negatives, but the development of sophisticated technologies like AI cannot be stopped due to our natural hunger to always improve our technology. Only through adapting and compromising with technology can we make beneficial progress and only through comprehensive education can we learn how to adapt and compromise.